Closure for squeeze tubes



SePt- 5, 1939- R. M. HoBsoN Er AL. 2,171,700

CLOSURE FOR SQUEEZE TUBES Filed Feb. 18, 1939 F a lnventors y 10m/mw /Vafff/z/ 563:04/

Patented Slept. 5, 1939 PATENT OFFICE CLOSURE FOR SQUEEZE TUBES Richard Mussen Hobson and Edwin Shotton,

Hamilton,

Ontario, Canada Appucanbnrebruary 1s, 1939, serial No. 257,124

1 Claim.

This invention relates to vimprovements in valved containers, more particularly the squeeze tubes-formed of pliant metal and which contains pharmaceutical and toilet pastes or the like, the contents of which are dispensed'through a narrower neck portion of the tube by displacement induced by squeezing the tube body. 'I'he neck which is substantially less pliant than the body by reason of the relative thickness of the material is externally threaded to receive a screw closure cap.

These `caps easily become lost and frequently in slipping` from the fingers drop into the waste opening oi a lavatory from whence they are only with' difficulty recoverable. Moreover, unless extreme care is exercised in replacing the cap on the relatively soft neck of the tube it is misthreaded with irreparable damage resulting in an imperfectly sealed closure thereafter.

One important object of the invention is to provide in a squeeze tube an inseparable closure cap which is suitably valved for opening and resealing the tube.

Another important object is to provide a valved closure cap which will hermetically seal the tube in the first instance and similarly reseal it atevery subsequent occasion of its use in order to prevent dehydration of the contents.

Another important object is to provide such a valved tube and cap in which the valve will be easy and convenient to operate.

Still another object is to provide a device with whichit will be impossible to remove the closure cap by accident or thoughtlessness.

And another is to provide a device of the kind specied lwhich will be simple, durable, efficient, and inexpensive to produce.

With the. above and other objects in View as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawing like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a valved squeeze tube as construction in accordance with this invention andfshowing the valve in closed position. Figure 2 is a similar view but with the valve in open position.

Figure 3 is a median vertical cross-section of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a median vertical cross-section of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an end View with the valve in closed position.

Figure 6 is a similar view with the valve shown open.

Shown on the drawing is a conventionally pro- 5 portioned squeeze tube consisting of the annular wall I0, shoulder II, externally threaded neck I2, and the conformingly internally threaded closure cap I3. In the neck is a core I4 which constitutes a passage for the periodical expulsion of 10 a. portion of the contents of the tube.

In common tubes the neck is hermetically sealed by screwing down the cap until the internal surface of the head of the closure, or a gasket which is enclosed therein, pressurably en- 16 gages the seat formed by the end face of the neck.

In its present embodiment the invention consists of a similarly threaded cap I3 having an opening I5 inthe head coaligned or in registry 20 with the core I 4. The passage thus combiningly formed from the inside to the outsidev of the tube is valvularly controlled, the valve consisting of a gate I6 pivoted by means of the pin I 1 in the skirt of the cap and which emerges from the end of the skirt and extends into a reniform range groove 20 in the shoulder II of the tube. Integral with the gate I6 is a lever I9 by which both the gate and the closure are commonly operated to alternate the` valve from one position to another, and both the gate and the lever extend and operate in a segmental slot I8 extending through the skirt of the cap, one face oi such slot being coplanar with the internal face of the cap head. I

When the cap by means of the lever I9 is screwed up tightly on the neck, with the gate I6 having first been closed also by the lever, the gate is tightly clamped between the internal face of the cap head and the end face of the neck much as a gasket would be in a common or conventional tube and closure. Thus the valve is kept from accidental opening and the tube is hermetically sealed to the invasion of air and to leakage of contents. 45

When the cap is in the aforesaid position the end of the pin I'I is disposed at one end of the groove I8, but when the cap is unscrewed by means of the lever I9 to a suiiicient extent to 50 release the gate for the further movement of the lever which opens the valve the. pin is shifted to the opposite end of the groove and limits the cap from being unscrewed beyond the point necessary to release the gate and to give it sufclent way in which to open in response to the lever.

There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device of the kind described and ior the purpose speciiied.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, therefore, desired to conne the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

We claim:

In a squeeze tube including a discharge neck having a passageway, an inseparable cap fitted to said neck for combined revoluble and lengthwise movement between two terminal positions and having a passageway in registry with the neck passageway, a gate movable in and out between` the two passageways to alternately close and open them to the passage of the tube contents, common means progressively and in a single action applied in one direction adapted to eect a. rst step consisting of closing the gate and a second step consisting of moving the cap from a loose to a tight position against the gate, said means being adapted to similarly effect a reversal of said steps on a full application of said action in the opposite direction.

RICHARD MSSEN HOBSON. EDWIN SHO'I'ION. 

